Snow-guard



(No Model.)

H M. ESSE'LBN. SNOW GUARD.

No. 558,678. Patented Apr. 21, 18%.

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tarnivr FFICE.

HENRY M. ESSELEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SNOW/GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,678, dated April21, 1896.

Application filed February 16, 1895. Serial No. 538,692. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY M. ESSELEN, of Boston, county of Suffolk,State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Snow-Guards, ofwhich the following description, in connection withthe accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representinglike parts.

This invention has for its object to improve the class of snow-guardrepresented in United States Patent No. 512,178. The snow-stop shown inthe said patent consists of a single piece of wire whose ends are bentsubstantially at right angles to the body-piece, one downward andpointed to afford means for ready attachment to a roof and the other, orsnow-stop proper, bent first upward and then in the form of a loop whoselower portion crosses and bears against the upright adjacent the innerside of the bend joining the upright to the shank or body-piece.

. I have aimed in this invention to provide greater resistance tobending strain, to there- 'by increase the efficiency of the guard andmake possible a reduction in the material and cost of the guard.

In accordance therewith my invention consists in details of constructionand arrangement hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointedout in the claims.

Figure 1 in section shows part of a slate or shingle roof with severalof my improved snow-stops in place, and Fig. 2 is a view in frontelevation of the same. Figs. 3 and 1 show on a larger scale, in side andfront elevation, respectively, one of the snow-guards detached. Figs. 5,6, 7, and 8 represent a modified form of snow-guard detached and also inposition, to be referred to.

My improved snow-guard, composed, prefcrably, for ordinary use of roundwire, as shown in Figs. 1 to at, has a shank a, terminated by an endadapted to be attached to the roof between rows or layers of slate orshingles r, and preferably for cheapness this end will be bentsubstantially at right angles to the body and be pointed, as at b, sothat it may be driven into the roof, as represented. The wire is bent atc upwardly and around in the form of a loop d, the free end CV of theloop being extended across and bearing against the portion. of its otherend adjacent the inner surface of the bend 0, so that the loop may bebraced and stiffened.

Hitherto in snow-guards of this class, so far as I am aware, thesnow-stopping portion of the guard has been bent at substantially aright angle to the shank.

In my improved form of guard the loop (Z is formed at an acute anglewith the shank of the guard, thereby oifering a much more effectiveresistance to the downward force of the snow without necessitating morematerial or further manipulation in construction.

For very high-pitched roofs the loop may, if desired, be specially bentat a proportionately smaller angle with the shank to still furtheraugment the resisting power; but for the average pitch of roof anapproximation to the vertical has been found sufficient.

By the construction set forth it is. possible to make the guards ofconsiderable lighter construction with a consequent saving in material.This may be more clearly seen by a comparison between Figs. 4: and 8,(in which latter the older form of loop is purposely retained forheavier service,) for it is quite apparent that the upright e in Fig. 8is entirely absent in the newer form of loop, and just so much materialis thereby saved.

To adapt my invention for use with socalled Spanish or other similartiles (shown in Figs. 5 and 6,) I bend the shank a downward at s to forma shoulder S of sufficient length to extend from the convex surface ofthe tile to the roof, the lower end of said stop being bent rearwardlyat s to rest upon the roof and then down to form a preferablypointedattaching portion f. By this construction the weight of the snow isdivided between the roof-boards or purlins and the tiles andtile-fastenings. I preferably flatten the shank a the shoulder S, andthe part to rest upon the roof in order to more firmly seat the guardupon the surface and end of the tile, while the attaching prong or pointf is preferably round and of the same diamc ter as the material formingthe loop.

As shown clearly in Fig. 7, the material at the bend 0 connecting theloop and shank is preferably round and of the greater diame ter toresist the bending strain at such point.

I claim-- 1. A snow-guard composed of wire, bent downwardly andsharpened at one end to provide a securing-prong to enter the roof, bentupwardly at the other end and formed into a loop to constitute a fender,said loop being formed by an upward bend at an acute angle to the Wireshank in the plane of the shank and prong, a lateral bend obliquely tosaid plane, a circularly-curved portion constituting the body of theloop, and a lateral oblique bend terminating in a downturned portionresting snugly against the inner side of said upward bend, substantiallyas described.

2. A snow-guard for tile roofs composed of wire, having a snow fender orstop formed at one end, a flattened shank portion adjacent HENRY M.ESSELEN. Witnesses:

JOHN C. EDWARDS, ALEX. O. Pnounrrr.

